Archaeologists discover moat ruins that may have been burial site for Japanese emperor

Japanese archaeologists have unearthed the ruins of a moat in Asuka, Nara Prefecture, and they believe they may have been part of a burial mound for an ancient emperor.

The Asahi Shimbun reports that the moat was 158 feet long and between 13 and 23 feet wide. According to The Japan News, its size would make it the "biggest rectangular ancient tomb in the Asuka district at that time," if it is confirmed to be a burial mound.

The archaeologists believe it dates to the mid-seventh century and was likely the first burial site of the Emperor Jomei, before his body was moved to a second location. The Emperor Jomei, Japan's 34th emperor, reigned for 13 years and was father to the Emperor Tenji and the Emperor Tenmu.

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The moat is lined with quartz diorite boulders, and its southern slope features chlorite schist and rhyolite flagstones in a staircase pattern. Further archaeological work is necessary to determine the moat's exact purpose, though — even if it is a burial mound, some experts believe it was built not for the Emperor Jomei, but for Emishi, a statesman of the Yamato Imperial Court.